First look at Gareth Pugh's ballet costumes for Carbon Life

Fashion designer Gareth Pugh talks to The Telegraph about his left-field costumes for new ballet, 'Carbon Life'.

BY Phong Luu |
04 April 2012

Gareth Pugh's design for Carbon Life

If you like your culture with a fashionable twist, April's your month: the fashion designer Gareth Pugh has turned costume designer for a new Wayne McGregor ballet scored by Mark Ronson that premieres tomorrow at the Royal Opera House. This slightly alarming image - how on earth is he going to dance in that? - is the first glimpse of the 31 year-old's contribution to the production, named
Carbon Life
. Pugh's oeuvre has always been outré - inflatable dresses and rat-festooned coats - so he was never going to be content churning out froufrou tutus. Which is why McGregor chose him.

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"Wayne's […] only thing was to say that he never works with point shoes and tutus. He really wanted to see what my version of those things would be."
Carbon Life
, says Pugh, follows the company "from the naivety of when they're born, through their relationships, to what they become. I wanted [to convey] that in the costumes, so everybody starts naked, then evolves."

He adds: "The point shoe may look restrictive, but it's made in such a way the foot can do everything that it needs to do." Pugh used to dance himself, so speaks with some authority. Apparently, the pirouetting dancers "haven't had any problems" with the outfits. Which isn't to say the audience won't if those sharp-edged boots go flying.